About Moses in 2:51 and 7:142
-
Salaam all,
I'm not sure if this is even an appropriate question, but I'll ask anyway
251
Wa-ith waAAadna moosa arbaAAeena laylatan thumma ittakhathtumu alAAijla min baAAdihi waantum thalimoona
We appointed a meeting time for Moses of forty nights, but then you took the calf after him while you were wicked.7142
WawaAAadna moosa thalatheena laylatan waatmamnaha biAAashrin fatamma meeqatu rabbihi arbaAAeena laylatan waqala moosa li-akheehi haroona okhlufnee fee qawmee waaslih wala tattabiAA sabeela almufsideena
And We appointed for Moses thirty nights and completed them with ten, so the appointed time of his Lord was completed at forty nights. And Moses said to his brother Aaron "Be my successor with my people and be upright, and do not follow the path of the corrupters."What I am confused about is regarding the word "night" or "layl" in the two verses above. I take "night" as the time of the day which there is no more sunlight (i.e. dark).
Why do the two ayats use nights? Why not day (assuming that 1 day=daytime+night=24 hours)?
In Arabic, if you say 40 nights, does it mean 40 days (40 x 24 hours)? Because for me (in my mother tounge), night is not equal to day or daytime.
Is it safe to assume that when Quran says 40 nights, it is talking a total of 40 days (40 x 24 hours)? If yes, why? If not, did Moses only spent his time on Thuwa for 40 nights and came back down on daytime (when it is not yet night time)? This, to me, sounds weird.
But if it was actually 40 x 24 hours, why Allah uses the word night? And surely, Moses needed provisions during his entire stay. Did he hunt for food if I take that he actually did spent 40 x 24 hours there?
Any help is appreciated. I don't know Arabic at all, so probably this confusion of mine stems from my seriously lack of understanding Arabic words. However, I am sure Allah chooses His Words intentionally.
Many thanks in advance.
Wasalaam,
=adley= -
Peace
very good question, I would say my first thought make me think that Allah has used "Yawm" "Day" in the Quran to indicate a period, not a 24 hours day, while in here He wants to be very specific in how many night were appointed to moses to indicate it was 40 "earth days"
I will keep thinking about this, but I believe if we check all the verses where "Yowm" and "Layl" are mentioned then compare it possibly we can get an answer
Allah knows best
peace
-
Salaam AhmedBahgat,
Thanks for the input.
I will keep thinking about this, but I believe if we check all the verses where "Yowm" and "Layl" are mentioned then compare it possibly we can get an answer
I'm on it. (Fortunately, there is openburhan ) )
Wasalaam,
=adley= -
Salaamun alaikum guys,
Adley, thanks for the salaat document. It helped me A LOT.
To me, its layl because of the night training God commanded. 73/1-5 talks about this 'establishment by night' (qumil laylaa illa qaleela). So Musa was in training for 40 nights and that's the emphasis.
-
Salaamun alaikum guys,
Adley, thanks for the salaat document. It helped me A LOT.
To me, its layl because of the night training God commanded. 73/1-5 talks about this 'establishment by night' (qumil laylaa illa qaleela). So Musa was in training for 40 nights and that's the emphasis.
very good reason indeed
thanks mquran
peace
-
Salaam all,
Adley, thanks for the salaat document. It helped me A LOT.
You're very welcome. Nice to hear someone finds it useful.
To me, its layl because of the night training God commanded. 73/1-5 talks about this 'establishment by night' (qumil laylaa illa qaleela). So Musa was in training for 40 nights and that's the emphasis.
I just noticed something too -- about nights and its relationship with studying/training/receiving inspirations. Surah 73 is a good example of night training. Surah 97 may shed some understanding too. Other ayats about shalat containing the word night may also help.
I'm still re-reading all ayats containing layl and yaum. But I think I may understand this a lot better. Thanks to you all.
There have been discussions on this in the past. Please use the 'search' function above.
You're right. The search function rocks )
Wasalaam,
=adley= -
Salaam all,
Below is the list of the word yaum and layl in Quran. I sorta gather the ayats for anyone who might be interested.
Layl/Night
allayla - 2164,187, 327,113,190, 613,76,96, 754, 106,27,67, 1181,114, 133, 1433, 1565, 1612, 1712,78,79, 20130, 2120,33, 2261, 2380, 2444, 2547,62, 2786, 2871,73, 3129, 3433, 3513, 3637, 395,9, 4061, 4137, 455, 5040, 5117, 5249, 576, 732,6,20, 7626, 7810
allaylu - 3640
biallayli - 2274, 660, 1310, 2142, 3023, 4138
bilaylin - 2872
layaalin - 1910, 697
layaaliya - 3418
laylan - 1024, 171, 4423, 715, 7626
laylatan - 251,187, 7142, 443, 971,2,3
laylahaa - 7929
wa-allayli - 7433, 8117, 8417, 914, 921, 932
wabial-layli - 37138
walayaalin - 892
Yaum/Day/Period/Era
al-ayyaamu - 3140, 6924
al-yawma - 2249, 53,5, 693, 848, 1143, 1254,92, 1627,63, 1714, 1926,38, 2064,126, 2365,111, 2514, 2936, 3655,59,64,65, 3726, 4016,17,29, 4339,68, 4528,34, 5022, 5712, 667, 6824, 6935, 7044, 7611, 7839
ayyaamin - 2184,185,196,203, 341, 589, 754, 103,102, 117,65, 2228, 2559, 324, 4110,16, 4514, 5038, 574, 697
ayyaaman - 280,184, 324
bi-ayyaami - 145
biyawmi - 4027, 7026, 7446, 751, 8311
fa-alyawma - 751, 1092, 3442, 3654, 4535, 4620, 5715, 8334
liyawmi/liyamin - 39,25, 1442, 2147, 3853, 649, 7713, 835
wa-alyawmi - 262,126,177,,228,232,264, 3114, 439,59,136,162, 569, 918,19,44,45,99, 242, 3321, 5822, 606, 652, 852
wa ayyaaman - 3418
wabi-alyawmi - 28
wayawma - 285, 4159, 622,73,128, 7163, 925, 1028,45, 1160,99, 1680,84,89, 1847,52, 1915,33, 2464, 2517,25,27, 2783,87, 2841,42,62,65,74, 3012,14,55, 3440, 3514, 3960, 4046,51, 4119,47, 4527, 4620,34
yawmi/yawma/yawmun/yawmin - 14, 2113,174,212,254,259, 330,55,77,106,155,161,166,180,185,194, 487,109,141, 514,36,64,109,119, 612,15,73,141,158, 714,32,53,59,163,167,172, 841, 93,35,36,77,108, 1015,60,93, 113,8,26,77,84,98,103,105, 1418,31,41,44,48, 1535,36,38, 1625,27,80,92,111,124, 1713,52,58,62,71,97, 1819,105, 1915,33,37,38,39,85,95, 2059,100,101,102,124, 21104, 222,9,17,55,69, 2316,100,113, 2424, 2522,69, 2638,82,87,88,135,155,156,189, 2861,71,72, 2913,25,55, 3043,56, 325,25,29,44,66, 3430, 3720,21,144, 3816,26,78,79,81, 3913,15,24,31,47,67, 4015,16,18,30,32,33,52, 4140, 427,45,47, 4365, 4410,16,40,41, 4517,26, 465,21,35, 5020,30,34,41,42,44, 5112,13, 529,13,46, 546,8,19,48, 5529, 5650,56, 5712,13, 586,7,18, 603, 629, 649, 668, 6839,42, 704,8,43, 7314, 749, 756, 7712,14,35,38, 7817,18,38,40, 796,35,46, 8034, 8215,17,18,19, 836,9, 9014, 1014
yawman - 248,123,259,281, 1819, 20104, 2247, 23113, 2437, 2526, 3133, 4049, 7317, 767,10,27
yawmikum/yawmukumu - 6130, 21103, 3214, 3971, 4534
yawmihim/yawmahumu/yawmihimu - 751, 4383, 5160, 5245, 7042
yawmayni - 2203, 419,12
That's all folks.
Wasalaam,
=adley= -
Peace be upon you,
Nightime is the best time for understanding.
Also, night is a symbolism for the subconcious, where the God dwells, while the day symbolizes conscious. We have to go to the SUB LEVEL to get to the higher levels. We have to get to the SEED of the tree, which is in the SUB level, underground, UNSEEN/HIDDEN.
So Musa is told to take of his shoes, he is in the sacred valley WITHIN(tuwa)
Lasty, what Salaat document is going around?? I would like to read it.
-
Salaam idolfree1,
Nightime is the best time for understanding.
Also, night is a symbolism for the subconcious, where the God dwells, while the day symbolizes conscious. We have to go to the SUB LEVEL to get to the higher levels. We have to get to the SEED of the tree, which is in the SUB level, underground, UNSEEN/HIDDEN.
So Musa is told to take of his shoes, he is in the sacred valley WITHIN(tuwa)
Strangely enough, after reading some Buddhist books about meditation, I was thinking roughly along the same line about nights and Moses. Now, for me, the more important thing is the state in which Moses underwent his training in the sacred valley in order to receive the Word of Allah.
His state was symbolized or emphasized by the word night. By relating my personal experience when reading the Quran at night, I can only imagine how hard it is to stay in that state for 40 continuous nights. Also, perhaps Moses experienced 40 levels of higher understanding by diving "inside" himself... (just have no idea what that 40 levels are, if exist at all ) )
Lasty, what Salaat document is going around?? I would like to read it.
The shalat document is an article that I wrote, with the intention of promoting self-study of shalat. The audience intended was to be my local Sunnis. For details, it can be found here.
Wasalaam,
=adley= -
Peace be upon you Adley,
Strangely enough, after reading some Buddhist books about meditation, I was thinking roughly along the same line about nights and Moses. Now, for me, the more important thing is the state in which Moses underwent his training in the sacred valley in order to receive the Word of Allah.
I agree, but I am still working this issue through.
I recommend to you a book called "tree of life meditation system" by Ra Un Nefer Amen to assist you in meditation studies. It will further elaborate the "subconscious" that is symbolized by "night".
